Our “Samana Project” Team

The Samana Project is a veterinary outreach program that started over 20 years ago, on the Samana peninsula of Dominican Republic. This year, Dr. Françoise Tyler, Dr. Carrie McColgan, and Treasure Dreher from The Village Vets Lilburn/Stn Mtn will be joining Team Samana. They will perform and assist with the spaying and neutering of dogs and cats, as well as provide equine medicine to horses and donkeys.

Dr. McColgan provides more information on the project and her own personal experience with it . . .

The Samana Project began in 1993, with 3 members of the Massachussets Veterinary Medical Association volunteering time, expertise and supplies, and has evolved into a project that has resulted in the spaying and neutering of more than 2000 small animals and the castration of several hundred stallions. Team Samana is involved in educating residents about parasite control, basic first aid, nutrition, and animal husbandry. They have helped the residents form a cooperative to keep medical records, arrange care for sick or thin horses (economically and culturally integral for transportation, work and tourism), and to sponsor local animal health seminars within the community. The team works closely with, and provides medical and surgical training to, students and veterinarians from Dominican schools.

In June 2003, the summer after I graduated from veterinary school, I joined Team Samana for a week. Like so many other students and professionals over the years, that experience had a profound influence on my personal and professional life. This was truly learning on your feet – figuring out how to tackle a medical or surgical problem in the field, with a limited supply of medications and tools. The “clinic” where we performed small animal spays and neuters, was set up in a local grade school, and the equine clinic where we treated saddle sores, hoof disease, and castrated stallions, was a soccer field, and dozens of other open, grassy fields in the region. This November, The Village Vets co-founder, Dr. Françoise Tyler, practice manager, Treasure Dreher, and I will join Team Samana for a week. We are thrilled to work hard, to teach and to learn. We plan to explore the feasibility of developing a long-term international program that could be supported and maintained by our colleagues at The Village Vets, as well as colleagues from other veterinary practices in the Atlanta area. – Dr. Carrie McColgan

**Our three TVV team members are donating their veterinary skills, time and effort to participate in this very important mission, to help improve the lives of the animals and people of Samana and the surrounding region. If you would like to make a contribution to support Project Samana, please click here.